[Absinthe: The Topic]

Anything for sale IN France is NOT absinthe... only anise-flavored drinks trying to cash in on another name and legend... I live in France, and go to the supermarkets every day and see this stuff on the counters. Absinthe is ILLEGAL in France, in any form, and has been for decades. Believe me. Some websites will try to sell you absinthe, but inform you very clearly that, although you may order the stuff, that as it is against the law in certain countries, it may be ceased by customs.

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Absinthe IS LEGAL IN FRANCE AND EU including artemesia absinthum (the variety of wormwood that gives the drink its name. One variety, Nouvelle Orleans, is produced by an organic chemist who reverse engineered several french bottles of over 100 years ago. How someone could live in france and not kow this....

[Fresh Juices At Pegu Club, Flatiron, BED, etc]

i would advise storing in glass as your plastic containers will eventually acquire the old citrus juice flavor and taint future batches. consider straining your juice to remove pulp or better still, doing away with the misguidingly named speed pourers altogether

[Egg white for smoothness]

what most people don't know is that a preponderence of drinks originally contained egg whites, sours and collinses alike. if you don't believe it, look at the ingredients on a bottle of collins or sour mix in your grocery store and 9 time out of 10 you'll see pasteurized egg whites listed. same goes for commercial sour mix in bars.

egg white blends and rounds out the flavor profile, provides a velvety mouth feel and an excellent foamy head for presentation. always wash your egg shells and use a separator for most hygeinic results. these drinks must be shaken VIGOROUSLY and enjoyed grinningly. beware the commercially separated egg whites as many are adulterated and won't provide the all natural foaming action of the fresh from the hen variety.

[Jamaican Rundown Sauce]

my wife is jamaican and the sauce described above (most commonly used with the saltfish or bacalao as it is called elsewhere) is exactly as i've always had it - though sometimes she makes it without the coconut milk.

[Puerto Rico Dining]

definitely check out old san juan

dishes to try:

mofongo (mashed green plantain) with your choice of meats carrucho (conch) is a good local, but chicken, beef, pork are common.

alcapurrias - puerto rican empanadas - are an excellent street food - also many fillings are available.

have fun

[Gingered Gentleman]

grating and strainig is essentially what a juicer does though more efficient. if you have a juicer, i would recommend this method and no heat as the juicer will do all the straining for you and the raw (uncooked/unheated) juice seems to retain its zing a great deal longer and better ( i think the sugar may act as a preservative). also, raw ginger juice is so potent that a little mellowing is not necessarily a bad thing. try making a small amount (all you are likely to get from a pound or two) and tasting it over several days.

when buying your ginger look for the smoothest shiniest wettest seeming ginger. if you have access to a widely varied market, baby ginger is an excellent option as well and will produce more juice pound for pound.

for extra freshness , try germinating your ginger in the fridge by wrapping in a moist towel.

[Cocktails for Colorful Foliage]

Dear Mr. Monkey,

Have you ever made mulled Apple Jack?  It seems to me the double apple, and the dryness of A.J. might make for a splendiferious libation.  I think it could be called the Good Neighbor, with a nod for Mr. R. Frost.

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funny you should ask, i have prepared the same recipe with applejack and indeed is delightful. the spices added and those in the falernum and stones make a nice compliment and obviate the need for any sugar or further sweetening.

it was good to see you at the watering hole recently and a pleasure to aid in the furthering of your imbibological endeavors.

[Cocktails for Colorful Foliage]

bourbon and cider (formerly known as sweet cider to differentiate between strong or alcoholic) is called a stone fence - and highly enjoyable.

i have been preparing a hot mulled cider for the last cuple of fall/winters:

cider

stone's ginger wine

velvet falernum

coruba rum

ginger juice

allspice

cinnamon sticks

heat (add spirits towards the end so as to preserve precious alcoholic content)

and ladle into cups

find comfortable seat

[Cocktail Books: The Topic]

i'm surprised noone mentioned "just cocktails" and "here's how" both by w.c. whitfield at three mountaineers press. both published after repeal of prohibition, both out of print, but fairly common in good shape as they were bound in wood.

very fun books